Tomorrow: PokeShipping
by 11JJ11
Summary: A collection of slice-of-life stories about Ash and Misty, focusing mostly on their adult years. Current story: The Wedding. [Pokeshipping & other ships.]
1. Story One: The Wedding

**I started this story a while back, but I decided to upload it now because the first two chapters lined up very well with two of the themes for Pokeshipping week. Chapter 2 will be uploaded on day 7 of Pokeshipping week.**

**Set in the same universe as **_Amber and Blue, _**and**_ Tomorrow: Marissonshipping_**. Part of my "Tomorrow" universe.**

* * *

**Story 1: The Wedding**

_Ash and Misty prepare for the next step in their lives._

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"What a day," Misty muttered as she collapsed down onto the couch, letting out a long sigh. Her muscles were aching, having spent the entire day out on the lake with her Pokemon. After their most recent lost they had seemed to want to do nothing but train, her main team having been waking her every day at sunrise for the past week.

She stiffened up as she felt something cold being pressed against her head. She sat up, eyes sliding open to see a glass of water hovering in front of her, surrounded by a blue glow. She smiled, accepting the glass as the psychic grasp faded from around it. She took a long drink, having not even realized how thirsty she had been. She drained it in just a few seconds, reaching for the remote at the same moment the cup was telekinetically lifted back into the air.

"Thanks, Golduck," Misty said, turning the TV on. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

The water type held up his head proudly, levitating the cup over towards the sink, filling it up with water once more, before placing it on the lamp table next to Misty. He didn't say a word, but pulled himself up next to Misty on the couch, staring blankly ahead as she flipped through channels. She glanced at the Pokemon out of the corner of her eye, before reaching out and pulling him in close.

The Golduck acted as the contact hadn't happened, merely closing his eyes as she stroked his beak, and the water type trainer did her best not to roll her eyes. He acted too proud to acknowledge the affection, but was nothing but miffed if she didn't offer it. His evolution had changed him more than any other of her Pokemon, having gone from a silly Psyduck to a fierce Golduck. That pride he had most certainly was earned though, with his speed and vast psychic powers, he was easily one of the most powerful Pokemon on her team. His loyalty to her had never shifted though, springing out of his Pokeball for even the smallest of reasons.

She smiled as Golduck slowly began to relax, the Pokemon pressing up against her as she continued to stroke him. It was a side of him she didn't often see, but with no one else around for miles he seemed willing to let down his guard for a few minutes. They had been out in the wilderness of Kanto for the last two weeks, using the time to train and to get a break from the crowds. The cabin she was staying was as nice as they came, courtesy of the League, feeling more like she was in a hotel in a city rather than in the middle of nowhere.

"_An exclusive interview with Champion Ash Ketch–"_

Misty paused as she continued flipping through the TV stations, the name having caught her attention instantly. She immediately turned back to the news channel, brow furrowing as she sat up a bit. Ash? In an interview? He avoided those like the plague, he wouldn't have given one unless it was absolutely necessary. Had something happened?

She relaxed slightly as she watched for a few moments though– this was nothing official. Ash was standing awkwardly in front of the camera, a small yellow mouse perched on top of his head, glowering at the newscast around them. It looked like they had cornered him while he was walking down the streets– somewhere in Vermilion by the looks of it. He had a small package tucked under one arm, probably just having done some shopping when he had been ambushed.

"_And what are your thoughts on the newest member of the Elite Four?" _The reporter asked, shoving her mic towards Ash. A scowl appeared on Misty's face as she inched closer to Ash, getting a bit too close for her liking.

"_I'm not sure I can give you the answer you're looking for, I mean, she is my girlfriend after all," _Ash said, scratching at the back of his head. "_But yeah, I think it's absolutely awesome, she's been working towards this for a long time now–"_

"_Some people have been wondering if that's how she was able to get that position in the first place,"_ The reporter said, cutting Ash off, and Misty's scowl only grew. "_How can you confirm that there was no bias in how she earned this title, when her boyfriend is the one making decisions for the League?"_

"I earned that title, you little..." Misty muttered under her breath, and at her side Golduck's eyes slid open.

Ash merely laughed, but Misty knew him too well– and she knew that he was far from comfortable. "_Mist's been considered for a potential Elite Four member way longer than I've held the champion title. Agatha requested her as her replacement when she stepped down, I actually had little say in the entire thing," _He gave a small smile, scratching Pikachu under the chin. "_I didn't even get battle her, Lance felt it'd be a fairer fight if he was the one to do so."_

"Gol!" Golduck snapped at the mention of the dragon master's name– the man's signature Dragonite having been the one to defeat him in the match. Her team had battled hard, but going up against a former champion and strongest Elite Four member hadn't been a simple match. They had lost– but the fact they had caused four of his Pokemon to faint was an accomplishment she carried with pride.

"_Do you feel that it wouldn't have been fair if you had been the one to do so?" _The reporter asked.

"_The battle doesn't really even affect anything, it's more tradition than anything..." _Ash muttered. "_And of course it would have been fair– Mist would kill me if I took it easy on her in a match!"_

"Easy?" Misty asked, raising an eyebrow. "Bold of you to think you'd be the one to win, Ketchum."

"_Regarding recent events, Champion, how do you feel–?"_ The reporter began– and in the same moment Ash stepped away from her.

"_Oh geez, would you look at the time," _Ash said, pulling a Pokeball from his belt. "_I'm afraid I'll have to cut this short, I have places I need to be!"_

And with that he pressed the release button on his Pokeball, a flash of red light filling the air as a huge shape took form behind him. Misty had to hold back a laugh as the camera was jostled, the reporter and crewmen scrambling to get back from the creature taking shape behind Ash. The monstrous figure coiled around his trainer, a single sharp blue eye glaring out at those around them. Orange scales flashed in the sun as a pair of wings opened, Ash swinging himself up onto the Pokemon's back.

Charizard craned his head up, a low growl rattling his throat, causing everyone to scramble back further. He was a frightening creature– dwarfing everyone around him, jagged scars covering his body, and a gleaming mega stone resting right over his heart. Ash looked completely at ease on his back, Pikachu jumping from his head and perching on Charizard's shoulder instead. Ash shifted the package under his arm, before raising a hand and giving a friendly wave.

"_Hopefully we have more time next time," _Ash said, winking. "_Helps if you actually schedule these things, you know. Let's go, Charizard!"_

Charizard let out a roar, wings flapping as he leapt up into the air, soaring up into the sky. The cameras were kept trailed on him as he rose above the city, the lizard speeding out of sight. Misty turned off the TV as it turned back to the news reporter, knowing there would be nothing else of interest on.

"I hate people like that," She muttered, sitting up slightly. "Thinking I was just handed my title, they have no idea how many years it took me to even be considered an option– let alone actually becoming an Elite Four member!"

"Gol!" Golduck agreed, as a member of her main team he had been there every step of the way– from journey to gym leader– all the way up to now. He closed a webbed fist, giving her a determined look, which she replied to by poking his beak. His brow furrowed, pulling back, rubbing it with a scowl.

"How about we get started on dinner, hmm?" Misty asked. "I'm starving, and I know the rest of the team is as well."

"Duck!"

She pushed herself to her feet, stretching, when a loud ringing filled the room. She paused, before reaching into her pocket and pulling out her cell phone. It was a newer phone, given to her by the League, and only a few people had access to this number. She smiled at the name that appeared on the screen though, alongside the image of a grinning Pikachu.

"Hello, Ketchum," She said, heading towards the kitchen as she answered the call.

"_Hey Mist,"_ Ash's voice was somewhat faint, the roar of the wind in the background somewhat drowning out his voice– and she guessed that he was still riding on top of Charizard. "_Whatcha up too?"_

"Just getting some dinner ready," She said, opening up the cupboards in search for something she could just throw together. She settled on some macaroni and cheese, pulling out the box. "What about you? Racing off to another 'exclusive interview'?"

He let out a long sigh, and a smirk tugged at her lips. "_You saw that, huh? I swear they just lay in wait for me– I didn't even tell anyone where I was going!"_

"What were you doing in Vermilion anyways?" She asked, ignoring Golduck's scowl when he saw what she was making. His eyes began to glow blue, pulling the macaroni out of her hand.

"_H-huh? Just picking up a package... guess I could have tried to be more discreet though. It's either that or have Charizard out at all times, and while he keeps crowds back he still attracts attention."_

She was trying to grab her food back, which was hovering near the ceiling while Golduck rummaged through the fridge. His turned around with an armful of products, setting them on the counter, pointing to them. She held out her hand, demanding to have her macaroni back, but he just watched her defiantly.

"Don't tell me what to eat!" She snapped.

"_What?"_

"Not you– Golduck!" She growled in frustration. "I've been training all day, but Mew forbid I have a bit of processed food!"

Ash laughed, while Golduck continued glowering at her.

"It's not funny Ketchum, I've been getting up at sunrise for the last week just because they want to train. I'm not going to cook some big fancy meal, I deserve a break!"

"_I thought the whole point of your trip was so you could catch a break,"_ Ash said, sounding humored.

"A break from the media," She replied, chucking an Oran berry at Golduck. He caught it with a Psychic, levitating it back onto the counter. However while doing so the box dripped a bit in the air, allowing Misty to jump up and snatch it. He let out a startled quack as she yanked it out of his psychic grasp. "Seems like you could use one yourself."

"_Sounds like we both need some time off,"_ Ash said. "_So how about we make it a date then? How does this Saturday sound?"_

"That'd work for me," Misty said, ignoring Golduck's glare as she set a pot of water on the stove. "Sure you don't have anymore exclusive interviews that day though?"

"_Ha ha,"_ Ash said, and she could just imagine him rolling his eyes. "_How does dinner sound?"_

"Well, anywhere public is out of the picture, if the whole point is to avoid the media," She replied. "We could hang out here, have a small dinner then spend some time at the lake."

"_But you've been cooped up there for too long, you need a change of scenery," _Ash said, and she frowned as she heard a slight waver in his voice. "_But if you want be at a lake still we could always go to Lake Mizu."_

Misty instantly perked up. "We haven't been there in ages!"

"_Yeah, I figured since we missed our anniversary we could go there now,"_ Ash said casually.

Lake Mizu had been where they had their first date, when Misty had asked him out many years ago, and they tried to go there every year since. But with his champion duties and her becoming an Elite Four member, they had been unable to this year.

"That's a wonderful idea," Misty said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. Perhaps it was just a small thing, but the fact that Ash wanted to make up for the missed day meant more than anything to her– it meant he saw it as something just as important as she did. "What time?"

"_I'll pick you up around five," _Ash said. "_We'll fly over there. And you don't need to worry about anything– I'll pull a few strings as champion and make sure no one will bother us. It'll just be me and you."_

"_Pikapika!" _A faint voice called through the phone.

"_And Pikachu," _Ash amended. "_Here, he wants to say hi to you."_

"_Pikachu-pi!"_ An excited voice squeaked into the phone a few moments later.

"Hi Pikachu," She said. "How are you doing?"

"_Pika pikachu!"_ He said happily. "_Pikapi chu pikapika! Pikachu Pikachu-pi!"_

She didn't understand the mouse of course, but she did pick out both hers and Ash's nickname that the Pokemon had for them, and she smiled. "I'm excited to see you too, Pikachu."

"_Cha~!"_ He sang. "_Pikapi chu Pikachu-pi–!"_

"_Okay, that's enough,"_ Ash said, and a moment later he was back on the line. "_I'm afraid I can't talk for much longer– but I'll see you in a couple of days, okay?"_

"See you, Ash," She replied, smiling. "Fly safely."

"_Bye!"_ He said excitedly, before hanging up.

She let out a sigh, putting the phone back into her pocket, a smile on her face. It had been ages since they had a proper date, and so she was nothing but excited. She turned towards Golduck, grinning– only to pause when she saw what the water type was doing.

"Really?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"Golduck gol!" He said, eyes glowing with psychic energy as he worked. Two knives were working on cutting up several berries, while a bowl hovered in the air as the fruit drifted through the room. "Duck!"

"You're stubborn, you know that?" Misty said, while Golduck levitated the bowl of fruit salad into her hands. She looked down at it for a moment, stomach rumbling happily. "...I'm only eating this because it looks good– not because you want me to."

"Gol," He replied– a glowing blue spoon flying over her head to stir her pot of macaroni noodles.

* * *

Misty wasn't quite sure how Ash always managed to be late.

It didn't seem to matter how early he left, how many reminders he had, or even what the event was– he always managed to find a way. And now he had responsibilities that extended beyond himself– but still something managed to get him behind schedule.

"Gol," A voice snorted next to her, and she looked down to see a pair of sharp ruby eyes glaring up at her. She laughed, rubbing Golduck on the head, who looked miffed at the contact, long tail lashing.

"Oh, relax Golduck," Misty said, poking his beak, which made the water type scowl. "Ash will be here soon enough, he's never let us down before, has he?"

Golduck rolled his eyes as if to say there were many times that he had, but Misty only smiled. Misty looked up at the sky, taking in a deep breath. It was a lovely day, the sun warm, but not blistering, slowly making its way towards the west. There was still plenty of daylight left, but still there was no sign of her boyfriend.

She watched as a large brown form appeared above the tree line, the flock of Pidgeys making its way across the sky. This wasn't an uncommon sight in Kanto, but she couldn't help but stare, as this was easily the largest one she had seen– taking up a large portion of the sky. It wasn't long before the flock's shadow fell across her cabin, flying above like an ominous cloud. She frowned as she got a closer look at the birds, specks of red dancing among the brown. The Spearows let out sharp caws if another flew too near, but besides that they were peacefully flying among the Pidgeys and Pidgeottos.

Her eyes scanned the flock, not noticing that the flying types were coming to a stop, hovering above the cabin. She frowned, spotting a couple of Fearow within the flock– she thought they drove each other away upon evolution. Her eyes continued to scan the mass of Pokemon, the sound of hundreds of wings flapping drowning out any other sound. After some searching she found what she was looking for– a Pidgeot– the only one from what she could see.

And the Pidgeot had a rider on her back.

"Oh Arceus, please don't tell me..." She muttered, watching as the rider guided the eagle towards her porch. "And of course it's you, Ketchum..."

Her voice was a mutter, but even if it wasn't she still wouldn't have been heard– the caws, chirps, and the hurricane of wings above overpowered any other noise.

The Pidgeot landed in front of the cabin, the gorgeous bird holding her head high. A Fearow dove down, landing next to her. The two touched beaks– before they raised their heads up towards the sky, letting out a deafening screech. Misty's hands clamped over her ears, trying to block out the piercing sound.

The flock scattered upon hearing the cry, rushing away from the cabin and towards the trees, branches groaning as hundreds of birds took shelter upon them. Only a few lingered in the sky, chirps still loudly filling the air, but it felt silent compared to the chaos that had been there moments before.

"Hi Mist!" Ash called cheerfully, jumping off the Pidgeot's back. "I'm sorry, I got a little sidetracked!"

She headed off the porch, meeting him as he approached. "A _little? _I'm pretty sure you just brought the largest flock of birds in Kanto!"

"I know, awesome– isn't it?" Ash said, grinning. "I heard there was a huge group moving about, but I never thought that it would be Pidgeot's!"

It was then finally everything clicked, and Misty stared at the Pokemon he had just been riding on. She was a proud creature, her giant form easily one of the largest Pidgeots she had ever seen. She looked like a wild Pokemon, sharp eyes and a few scars running down her form, but she was looking at Ash so fondly.

"Wait– that's your Pidgeot?" Misty cried, and the Pokemon let out a soft coo in reply.

"Yep!" Ash said, stroking her neck. "She basically ambushed me on my way here, dragging me off into the sky without warning, nearly giving Charizard a heart attack," He laughed. "Then I had her bring me here."

Pidgeot had been living in the Viridian Forest for years now, Ash having left her there to protect a Pidgey flock. He returned to visit her after every journey he had, but she had chosen to stay behind each time. As far as Misty knew the last time he had seen her had been four years ago, when he was sixteen– and upon his next visit the bird was gone. Both her flock and the Spearow flock that had been attacking for so many years simply having vanished.

"Do you remember me?" Misty asked the Pidgeot, taking a step closer. The eagle nodded, lowering her head and studying Misty curiously. Her amber gaze scanned the young woman, before letting out an approving trill.

"She had to leave the forest after they combined flocks," Ash explained, looking up at one of his very first Pokemon proudly. "They just couldn't support themselves otherwise. From what I understand they've been moving across Kanto for years, and I wouldn't be surprised if they went up into Sinnoh or over to Johto a few times."

"Combined flocks...?" She glanced at Fearow in realization. "Please don't tell me that's–"

"The same Fearow as before?" Ash grinned. "It sure is!"

The Fearow glowered at them, before letting out a bitter screech. Pidgeot clicked her beak in disapproval, causing him to look away.

"Oh come on, get over it," Ash crossed his arms. "I was just a kid then!"

"Row!"

"I'm sorry for throwing that rock– okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

"Fearow fear!"

"I'm not apologizing for Pikachu, he was protecting me!"

The 'fight' continued, human and Pokemon bickering as if they could perfectly understand each other. Eventually she laid a hand on Ash's shoulder, while Pidgeot ran a beak through Fearow's feathers. She watched how Fearow pressed up against her, long beak being ran through the Pidgeot's crest as he preened her in return.

"Are the two of them...?" She asked uncertainly. Last she had seen, the two of them had hated each other's guts, but seeing how they were acting now...

Ash grinned. "They have the cutest little Pidgey babies."

She shook her head. "Well, I see why you were held up now."

His eyes suddenly widened. "Oh crap– I only have the lake rented out until midnight!" He grabbed Misty's hand, dragging her towards Pidgeot. "Come on we don't have time to waste! Pidgeot said that she would carry us– should be a more peaceful ride than on Charizard."

"You _rented_ Lake Mizu?" Misty asked, raising an eyebrow as Pidgeot lowered herself towards the ground. When Pidgeot had first evolved she had just been big enough to carry a young Ash, but now she was large enough that she was sure Pidgeot would have no trouble carrying the both of them. Misty reached for a Pokeball, recalling Golduck to the sphere.

"You'd be surprised what you can do as champion," Ash said, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up onto Pidgeot's back.

She smirked as Ash climbed on behind her. "Really? Maybe I ought to claim that title from you then."

"Elite Four not good enough for you?"

She shrugged. "At least I don't lose my job if I lose a battle."

Fearow was watching them sharply as they settled onto the back of Pidgeot, but his mate gave him a small trill to let him know she was fine. Misty shifted slightly, used to riding on Charizard's back, his scales giving her traction. But Pidgeot's feathers were slick, her fingers sliding through her crest of feathers, and Misty felt like it wouldn't take much for her to slide off.

Pidgeot opened up her wings, easily sporting a fifteen foot wingspan, if not more.

"Um, Ash–" Misty began.

"Let's go, Pidgeot!" Ash cried, and with a flap of her monstrous wings she sent a strong breeze across the clearing, and with several more they were rising up into the air. Misty let out a yelp, feeling anything but secure.

Ash's strong arms wrapped around her, and he rested his head on her shoulder. She didn't even have to look at him to know he was grinning, and she couldn't help but relax in his grasp. Pidgeot did a lap above the cabin and treeline, calling out to her mate and flock, before banking about and carrying them off towards the north.

"Ready for our date?" Ash asked, pulling her closer.

"You're the one that sounds nervous."

"Me? Nervous?" Ash asked. "When Tepigs fly!"

"Well, you are technically flying right now, so..."

"Hey!" Ash protested, but Misty simply laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It ended up being about an hour flight to Lake Mizu, but Pidgeot's wings proved to be built for long flights, easily gliding through long stretches that Charizard would have seen as a challenge. She was also much more comfortable to ride on than Charizard was, covered in thick feathers that were meant to keep her warm at higher altitudes, which made for much softer seating than scales.

The sun was just starting to dip in the west as they approached the lake, the rays gleaming off of the water's surface. Pidgeot took them on an aerial lap above the water before Ash guided her towards the shore. She stared down at the familiar sight fondly– this place feeling like it hadn't changed in the many years they had been coming here, though this was one of the few times she had seen it completely empty. She smiled as she saw a picnic table set up not far from the water's edge, a familiar yellow shape keeping watch over the food.

"Pikachu!" Misty called happily as they landed, having wondered where the mouse was. His ears flicked up, and a huge smile spread over his face.

"Pikachu-pi!" He cried, leaping off of the table and bolting towards them. Ash slide off of Pidgeot's back, holding a hand out to Misty to help her do the same. Pikachu threw himself into her arms the moment her feet touched the ground, nuzzling her. "Cha~"

"I missed you too!" Misty said, kissing his forehead.

"Pikapika!" He replied, touching his nose to hers.

"How come he gets the warm welcome?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because he's a little gentle-mon, that's why," She said, smiling as he crawled onto her shoulder. "Aren't you Pikachu?"

"Pikapika!" He said, tail wrapping around her. He pressed a paw against his chest, looking quite proud of himself. Ash snatched his starter from off her shoulder, grinning down at the mouse.

"Nice try, but she's my date tonight," Ash said with a smirk, to which Pikachu replied with a small electrical shock. The jolt didn't even bother Ash, just grinning as he set the electric type on the ground. The mouse bolted towards the table, scurrying up onto it, and pointing at the food that was set up. "Hungry?"

"Maybe," Misty said teasingly, allowing Ash to lead her over. She felt a strong breeze wash over them, and she glanced behind her to see Pidgeot taking to the sky, wings flapping as she rose up into the air. Her gaze flickered back to the table, looking at the variety of food in front of them. "Who made this? It looks delicious."

"Yours truly," Ash replied, gesturing for her to sit.

"Uh-huh. Brock, I'm guessing? Your mother?"

Ash pretended to look offended. "What, you don't think I could make you dinner? I spent several hours preparing all of this!"

"Really?"

"Really!" He insisted, sitting next to her. "Right, Pikachu?"

"Pikapika," He bobbed his head, picking up a half-empty bottle of ketchup. Misty knew that Ash had brought it specifically for the mouse.

"All by yourself? With no help?"

"...Well, I did get the recipes from Brock and Cilan... and it may have taken me a few attempts to get everything right... but it was me and my Pokemon that made it!"

"If you say so..."

"I really did!"

She grinned, poking him on the nose. "I'm teasing, Ketchum," She leaned forward, giving him a small peck on the lips. "I believe you, and I think it's really sweet that you made all this, so thank you."

Ash was grinning. "Well then– let's dig in!"

Some things never changed– Ash happily piling up food onto a plate. Misty reached for her own, looking again over the food that Ash had made. He had never been much of a cook, but again, neither had she. The fact that he had taken the time to make all this showed so much– and meant a lot more than any fancy restaurant date ever could. Ash was already eating by the time she filled up her plate, and she only shook her head.

"Do you like it?" Ash asked after she took a bite, looking slightly on edge.

"Don't look so nervous, Ketchum, it doesn't suit you," She replied.

"I just want to know if you like it."

She took another bite, purposely chewing slowly, exaggerating a long look of thought as she swallowed. "Hmm... Let's see, do I like it...?" She spoke slowly, fighting against a grin as Ash nervously waited for a reply– while Pikachu broke out into giggles. She leaned up against him, smiling. "I do like it– and you clearly put a lot of effort into this, even when you didn't have to. Thank you– and I'll definitely find a way to make it up to you."

"I think a kiss would be a nice way to make it up to me," Ash said.

"Maybe after dinner, Ashy-boy."

"Don't you dare call me that, it's bad enough when Gary does."

"Whatever you say, Ashy-boy."

Ash rolled his eyes, taking another bite. She watched him closely, slightly surprised that he didn't have a comeback for her, as he often did. He was just smiling thoughtfully, eating a bit more slowly than one would expect from the way he often wolfed his meals down. He caught her eye as she stared, gave her a grin, and then began shoveling his food into his mouth once more.

"Chu...?" Pikachu let out a small whimper, having reached the end of the ketchup bottle. He tried to squeeze more of it out, licking what was on his paws. Misty unscrewed the lid for him, allowing him to reach in with a paw to try to scrape out what remained.

"I bought him that one three days ago," Ash said, shaking his head. "I need to limit him."

Pikachu's ears went up in alarm, clutching the plastic bottle closer to him. Misty scratched him behind the ear. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to get you some more ketchup if Ash tries to starve you."

"Pika!" He cooed, nuzzling up against her arm, leaving a small trail of ketchup on her skin.

"It's kind of startling how quiet it is here," Misty said, looking out over the calm lake. "I don't think we've ever been here alone before. Usually there's at least a dozen people out on the water."

"I'll make sure to rent it out again next year," He said. "Did you bring your Pokemon?"

"My main team, everyone else is back at the gym. You?"

"I've been rotating some of them out as of late, making sure everyone has a chance to get out of Pallet Town. I don't get to battle with them as much now days," He scratched the back of his head. "Can't exactly go up to anyone anymore and ask for a battle like I used to."

"Want to have a battle then?" Misty asked.

Ash grinned. "Oh, you are so on!"

And with that he leapt to his feet, stuffing the last few bites into his mouth as he grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. Her eyes narrowed, recognizing whose it was right away. She pushed herself to her feet as well, already knowing who she'd be using. If he was using one of his strongest, then she had no choice but to use her strongest.

"Rules?" She asked, plucking a Pokeball off of her own belt.

"One on one, and recalling them to the Pokeball counts as a forfeit. Lake and shore are the battlefield, can't go beyond that," Ash replied, looking out at the lake. "Um... also no permanent damage to the lake or anything, I like this place too much."

"You're the one that has the fire hazard," She replied as they headed towards the lake. She tossed her Pokeball up into the air, a large serpentine shape forming out of the red light. Gyarados let out a roar as he was released onto the lake, stretching out his long body. He turned towards them, giving Ash a snort of acknowledgement. "Up for a battle?"

Gyarados gave a single nod, a gleam in his eyes.

"Let's go, Charizard!" Ash called, summoning the lizard from out of the sphere. Charizard rose up into the air as he was released, flying overhead. "It's been a while since you've had a real challenge, hasn't it?"

Charizard gave a roar of agreement, his eye locking onto the Gyarados below. These two had battled several times before, and the matches had always been close. However, it had been quite awhile since their last battle, and the two were clearly eager to test each other once more. Gyarados swam out deeper into the lake so he had room to swim, while Charizard swooped after him.

"Chu..." Pikachu muttered, crossing his paws– clearly having wanted to battle himself.

"Open up with Rain Dance!" Misty called, and Gyarados reared his head out of the water. He faintly glowed as an orb of energy formed in his mouth, which he launched into the sky with a roar. "Hurricane now!"

Dark clouds began to gather right above the lake, droplets of rain began to pour down from the sky. Fortunately Gyarados kept the storm clouds focused right above the lake, keeping those on the shore dry. Charizard grunted in annoyance as the water poured down on him, but otherwise seemed unaffected by the rain.

A wind began to kick up, circling in front of Gyarados as he drew the energy of the storm in towards him. He released a powerful twister of energy out at Charizard, the Hurricane fueled by the pouring rain. Charizard didn't wait for an order, tucking in his wings and diving straight into the cyclone, riding the gale with ease, using the momentum to burst out from on top, avoiding taking any direct damage from the move.

"Hydro Pump!" Misty cried.

"Dragon Rush!" Ash called back, and blue energy began to crackle around Charizard. The light flared out, looking daunting against the blackness of the storm, the silhouette of a glowing dragon surrounding him. The lizard rose up into the air, before diving down at the Gyarados as he released a torrent of water.

The Dragon Rush seemed to slice right through the Hydro Pump, parting the blast of water as Charizard crashed right into Gyarados. The sea serpent was slammed down into the lake, sending waves rolling out towards shore. Charizard rose back into the air, and by the flicker in his tail flame Misty knew he hadn't been immune to the Hydro Pump. Gyarados was keeping the Rain Dance going strong, the dark clouds churning above. She watched as Charizard worked his way through the rain, his single eye narrowed as Gyarados dove beneath the water.

He skimmed along the surface of the lake, scanning the waves for any sign of Gyarados. The Rain Dance showed no sign of petering out, and even flying along the edge of the storm Charizard was still being hammered with rain water.

A dark shape appeared below Charizard, the creature quickly rising towards the surface. Charizard flared his wings open to pull up, but Gyarados reared out of the water, fangs draped in a dark aura as he sank a Crunch attack right into Charizard's neck. He let out a bellow of pain as he was dragged into the water, sending more waves crashing across the lake.

Ash let out a sigh, raising an arm and placing his hand over a band on his wrist. He didn't say a word, but still a bright white light flared up around him as he did so. The key stone began to hum with energy, tendrils of light stretching out from him and towards the Charizard who was attempting to get back into the air. A Shadow Claw was slashed across Gyarados' face just as the light of mega evolution touched the lizard, who gave a wicked grin.

A bright glow engulfed Charizard, the fire type beginning to grow in size. Gyarados let out a hiss, releasing Charizard as the burning energy grew brighter. His tail and wings lengthen, flaring out as he rose back into the air with a triumphant roar. A third horn sprouted up between the two that crowned his head, each coming to a sharp point. At his wrists two wing-like fins appeared, unfurling from his arms just as the light faded from around him.

The mega Charizard bolted up into the sky, an orange aura radiating out from his body. The energy rushed out, vaporizing the storm clouds above. The sunlight once again shone over Lake Mizu, but it seemed to be magnified with the Drought radiating from Charizard.

Charizard opened his maw, releasing a giant plume of flames down onto Gyarados.

"There goes my favorite strategy..." Misty said as Gyarados dove under the water.

"You knew I was sending out Charizard."

"Oh, and who else was I supposed to send out against him, wise guy?" She asked back. Gyarados surfaced on the other side of the lake, and Misty cupped her hands over her mouth. "Hydro Pump!"

Gyarados released the pressurized blast at Charizard, forcing him back as he tried to swoop in with a Shadow Claw, and he dove back into the water. He looked far from worn though, steam curling up from him as his jaws parted, a flash of green forming in front of him. The Solar Beam flared up instantly, the ray of energy rushing at the dark shape below the waves.

Being under water did nothing to shelter Gyarados from the blast, the beam sizzling as it hit the waves, slamming into the water type. Charizard then rose up into the sky, wings flapping furiously to help him gain air. Seconds later Gyarados reared out of the water, fangs snapping at empty air.

"Wait!" Misty called before her Pokemon could dive underwater once more. He stopped at once, but kept his gaze locked on the Charizard flying far above. She reached for her neck, tugging a necklace out from under her shirt. The key stone was warm against her palm, a light dancing between her fingers the moment she touched it.

She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Ash was watching her rather than the battle as she mega evolved her Gyarados. He winked at her, and in reply she rolled her eyes as a burst of light radiated out from her key stone.

Gyarados let out a roar as the energy hit him, transforming into his mega form. The fins on his back split, sprouting up into huge twin sails. His crest lengthen, the segments of his serpentine form thickening as muscles ripped under his skin. The light around him faded, black and red now highlighting his blue form.

"Solar Beam," Ash called.

This was the reason why Misty had held back on mega evolving Gyarados from the beginning of the match– because now Charizard had a super effective move against Gyarados. And with the energy of his Drought still rippling out from him the Solar Beam formed instantly, the ray striking Gyarados right on the crest, sending him back across the surface of the lake.

"Double Dance!" Misty ordered, and the mega Gyarados let out a low rumble. Purple and blue light began to twist about his form, while he launched a blue orb up from his maw. The Rain Dance was released up into the sky, while the energy of the Dragon Dance washed over him.

"Disfuse it," Ash said as storm clouds began to gather overhead. Charizard swooped up towards the forming Rain Dance, while Gyarados once again sank below the water. He continued to Dragon Dance up, the crackling purple light visible through the water.

Charizard's Drought flared up brighter, the orange aura rushing up at the clouds above to cancel out the Rain Dance. Misty had no plans on winning the weather war though, simply needing to stall enough for Gyarados to get a boost from the energy of the Dragon Dance. The forming clouds were dispersed, sunlight once again shining down on the lake, and Charizard banked about in search of the water type.

He fired a Solar Beam, but Gyarados sped out of the way of the attack. Charizard let out a low rumble, swooping after the rushing dark figure under the water, the green orb of a Solar Beam shining in his maw, ready to be fired at will.

Gyarados then began to rise to the surface, a light blue light cloaking him as he rushed up. He burst out of the water, springing up high into the air– coming level with Charizard as he flew above. A torrent of water began to swirl around his tail, which he slammed into the fire type, knocking him down towards the waves. He dove after the Charizard as the Aqua Tail faded, fangs locking around his shoulder, slamming him down into the lake.

Ash gave a low whistle. "That's a new one."

The two Pokemon began to thrash on the water's surface, Charizard slashing with Shadow Claws as he tried to flee back into the air, while Gyarados refused to release him, the Crunch digging into his scales.

"We were too dependent on our Rain Dance strategy," Misty said. "A Sunny Day and suddenly half of our moves were useless. I was hoping to use this strategy against Lance, but a lot of his Pokemon like the rain as well so there was no reason for him to stop it..."

Charizard cracked a Dragon Tail against Gyarados' side, before releasing a close ranged Solar Beam right at his face. The leviathan let a roar of pain, jaws releasing Charizard. The blast of the Solar Beam sent him flying across the lake's surface, and he crashed into the shallows. Misty couldn't help but wince at the scorched marks on his scales. Still he reared up, hissing at the Charizard swooping towards him.

A mass of energy formed in front of both Pokemon– one green and the other black– and two blasts of energy were launched.

The Hyper Beam and Solar Beam crashed into each other, flaring up with a blinding light. The two humans on the shore line raised a hand to block out the flash, while a shockwave of energy radiated out from the clashing moves, stirring up a slight wind. The two Pokemon were panting as the attacks faded. Misty took in a sharp breath, because while both attacks had been energy consuming, Solar Beam was the easiest to recover from. Gyarados' head sagged against the sand, the exhaustion of the Hyper Beam rushing over him, leaving him unable to retaliate as the Charizard rushed at him.

"Sky Drop!"

"Wait– what?" Misty blinked, and Charizard swooped down at Gyarados. Blue light surrounded him, outlining his wings as he dug his claws into Gyarados' side. His wings labored heavily, but yet he still began to lift the giant Gyarados up into the sky. The water type twisted, but before he could recover Charizard threw him ashore.

"Flamethrower!" Ash cried, and Charizard released a plume of fire down onto the serpent.

"That was _not_ a Sky Drop attack," Misty said, rounding on Ash, hands on her hips. "That was a Fly attack– and you didn't even attack with it!"

"Yeah, but it looks more impressive that way..." Ash smirked slightly.

A proper Sky Drop had a Pokemon take their opponent high into the sky, rendering it near impossible to do with heavier targets– which included a mega evolved Gyarados. Charizard had instead used the energy boost of a Fly attack to drag Gyarados up into the air, though nearly not as quickly nor as high as a true Sky Drop would allow.

"Back into the water!" Misty ordered.

"Stop him!" Ash countered, and a Dragon Rush surrounded Charizard. He dove down at the mega Gyarados as he lunged back towards the lake, the fire type barreling into him. He was sent flying back into the treeline, ramming him into several trees. The trunks snapped upon impact, the trees crashing into the ground with the Gyarados.

"You okay?" She called out to Gyarados, who huffed as he reared up, looking down at the trees lying on the ground about him. He let out a frustrated rumble at Charizard, who merely shrugged in reply. "Well, there goes trying not to damage the lake..."

"We'll just chop them up for firewood for whoever comes out here next," Ash said, scanning the treeline. Bushes and grass had been torn up as well in Gyarados' crash. "And, um, I'll get Meganium to freshen everything up too... You want to end the battle here?"

"Yeah," Misty said. "I don't want Charizard setting the forest on fire next."

"It was your Gyarados that knocked down the trees."

"And it was your Charizard that launched him into them!"

They stared at each other for a moment, before they burst out laughing. Gyarados and Charizard began to glow, the mega evolution fading from around them. Both looked worn from the battle, but were far from down. Charizard landed on the shore line, giving Gyarados a nod as he pulled himself back towards the lake. The water type slipped back into the waves, letting out a rumble. The blinding sunlight overhead seemed to soften, the remains of the Drought fizzling out.

"Next time let's battle in a proper arena," Ash said, grinning. "That way we can both go full out."

"Is battling the only thing on your mind?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Nah, I have a few other things in there as well. Like that kiss you talked about earlier..."

She rolled her eyes, before grabbing his shirt and pulling him into a kiss. Her arms soon shifted so they were around his shoulders, while his other arm pressed against her back. She ignored the laughing rumble Charizard gave as they embraced– because it had been too long since she had been with Ash like this. Just to be out in the open, holding him close, no one but them and their Pokemon.

"Pikapika?" Pikachu chirped, leaping Ash's shoulder, causing them to pull back. He was looking at Ash excitedly, small form trembling. "Pikapi chu Pikachu-pi? Pikapika?"

She tilted her head slightly, trying to make out his questioning tone, while Ash simply shook his head. "Later bud, we just got here."

"Chu!" Pikachu whimpered, crossing his arms unhappily, and jumped to the ground.

"What's up next then, Romeo?" Misty asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well..." Ash said, trailing off in thought. "I was thinking..." He then suddenly scooped her up into his arms, before marching off towards the lake. Her arms tightened around his neck, eyes widening in realization, and he grinned down at her. "How about some swimming?"

The water sloshed around his feet as he took them into the lake. "Ash Ketchum, I swear to Arceus, if you throw me into the lake again–"

She didn't have time to finish, Ash dropping her into the water before she could say another word. She sat up, fortunately still in the shallower part of the lake, sputtering for air. She could hear him laughing, while she shot a glare at him, pushing herself to her feet. Cold lake water dripped from her, clothes clinging to her form.

"What's wrong Mist, I thought you loved swimming!"

"Do you have to do that every year?!"

"It's tradition!"

"It's stupid!" She snarled back, but Ash simply laughed again. Every year, without fail, he always managed to toss her into the lake. Could he be a normal human being and wait for them to change into their swimwear? No, just throw her right in. "Pikachu– a little help here?"

"Pikachu-pi!" He agreed happily, and he began to glow silver. He bolted forward with an Extreme Speed, jumping and crashing into Ash's back, sending him toppling into the water. The mouse looked up at Misty happily, before paddling over towards her. She scooped him up, placing the Pokemon on her shoulder as Ash came up for air.

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Ash asked the mouse, coughing up a bit of water. Pikachu considered this for a moment, before giving Misty a lick on the cheek.

"Aww, who's my little gentle-mon?"

"Cha~"

"Traitor," Ash muttered, before turning and cupping his hands. "Hey Charizard, get over here and help me!"

The lizard banked about, flying out towards them. Pikachu leapt onto Misty's head, cheeks sparking in preparation to defend her should the lizard joined in on their antics. Charizard swooped down as he approached them, jaws opening and releasing a Flamethrower– straight at Ash.

With that Charizard flew away, landing on the shore with a content rumble.

"...Both of you are traitors."

"What's wrong Ashy, I thought this was your idea!" Misty said tauntingly, and he flashed her a glare. "Well, it looks like this is my chance to defeat the mighty champion– Gyarados, Hydro Pump!"

Gyarados was off in the deeper section of the lake, but still close enough to execute his trainer's orders. He turned, releasing a blast of water at Ash. It was nothing compared to the powerful bursts he had released in the battle, but still more than enough to knock Ash back into the water.

"Four against one?" He asked. "How's that fair?"

"All's fair in love and war!" She called back.

"Alright then– Buizel, Aqua Jet!" Ash cried, pulling out a Pokeball from his belt. In the same moment the Pokemon took form one of Misty's Pokeballs opened up, Golduck standing ready as the Buizel glared up at them.

"Dive!" Misty cried back, wrapping her arms around Golduck. He leapt into the waves, surrounding her and Pikachu in an air bubble as he took them deeper into the lake. A quick glance up showed Buizel and Ash hurrying after them, ready to follow them under the water.

On her shoulder Pikachu giggled, clearly having no plans on letting his trainer win this.

* * *

"Come on, just a bit farther..."

"Ash, I'm exhausted," Misty groaned, following Ash up the hiking trail, legs aching. "Give me a minute."

"It'll be worth it, I promise you," He said, pausing to allow her to catch up. She sighed, but continued after him. The sun was setting, the last rays shining through the trees, causing her to have to narrow her eyes as their hike continued.

This day had been everything Misty had hoped for– a chance to be with Ash and her Pokemon, to escape the crowds and the stress to just be with each other. They had their excitement with their battle and the swimming war, and had a chance to relax on the lake shore after. The dessert Ash had made had been delicious, though he had admitted it had taken him several tries to get it just right. It had been a perfect evening, and nothing sounded better to Misty then to go back to her cabin with Ash and rest.

But he had seemed nothing but excited about the prospects of this hike, and had eagerly insisted they go tonight. It wasn't too far from Lake Mizu, just a couple of minutes away on Charizard's back, and they had never been here before. In all honesty a hike hadn't sounded appealing at all, her muscles tired and her clothes stiff from how they had dried, but seeing the look in Ash's eyes she had given in.

They encountered no wild Pokemon, even though she was sure they should have seen many more with night not far off. But she had a feeling that a certain shiny Noctowl flying about had something to do with it, a simple Hypnosis being more than enough to keep their trip peaceful.

"Alright," Ash said, peering up ahead. "We're almost there!"

He glanced back at her hesitantly, and she gave him a tired smile. He had put in so much effort for her today, so she most certainly wasn't going to ruin the end of their date with complaining. She forced herself to sit up straight, hiking up the last stretch of the trail without lagging behind. Ash held out his hand as she reached him, and she slipped hers into his as they peaked the top of the incline.

His hand was warm against her as they broke through the treeline, Misty holding up a hand as the sunlight caught her gaze. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust, and then smiled softly at the small outlook in front of her.

The edge of a cliff spanned in front of them, not terribly high nor steep, but still giving them a clear view of the valley below. Spread out in front of them was a picturesque view of Lake Mizu, the sun's rays dancing off of the surface of the water. The horizon was lit with burning oranges and reds, the rest of the sky turning gray as the sun began its retreat.

"Whoa," Misty couldn't help but whisper, because you usually couldn't get a view like this without being on the back of a flying type. And even then the wind was in your face, the sheer speed pulling you right from the calmness of the sight.

"Like it?" He asked nervously, and she gave him a soft smile.

"It's a gorgeous view," She said. "I can see why you wanted to bring me up here."

"Come on," Ash said, squeezing her hand. "Let's go sit down."

A large boulder sat a ways ahead of them, providing them a seat for the sunset. She sat down with a sigh of relief, able to rest at last. The boulder was positioned perfectly, perhaps a bit too perfectly. That, and judging by the claw marks running down the side, she had a feeling that Ash had Charizard move the rock here for them.

"Thank you Ash, for tonight," She said as they settled down, staring out at the lake. "You know you didn't have to do all this, spending time with you was more than enough."

"I wanted tonight to be perfect," He replied. "You don't deserve any less. You've been working so hard lately... and it's amazing to see how far you've come, you know."

"How far _we've_ come," She corrected. "I mean, look at you– going from getting lost every two steps, to being able to find a place like this," She gave him a teasing smirk. "Sounds like progress to me."

"Actually Sceptile found this place," He said. "I had all my Pokemon looking around for a good spot."

She frowned, when did he get the time to come up here to do that? "How long have you been planning tonight?"

"...A while," He admitted, letting an uncertain laugh. "I just needed to find a day that you'd be able to go, but then you requested some time off and I didn't want to disturb you or anything... and yeah."

"Time off from the media, you were always more than welcome to drop by."

"I know, it would be cruel to keep you from seeing my handsome face."

She let out a snort of a laugh at that, playfully pushing him away. "Oh, shut up."

He leaned up against her in response, wrapping a hand around her shoulder, looking down at her with a wide grin. "You love me and you know it."

"I suppose I do... usually," She replied with a grin. "I still don't think I'm ready to forgive you for throwing me into the lake."

"Would you forgive me for a kiss?" He asked, and before she could give a reply he had leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her lips. She let out a soft sigh as their lips touched, pulling him in for longer one before he could pull away. His arms wrapped around her, pressing her up against his chest.

"I wish it could always be like this," She whispered softly as they pulled apart, their faces still close.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and she looked up into his eyes. "I know what you mean," He said quietly, his hand finding hers, their fingers slipping together. He hesitated for a moment. "And you know what I think? I think 'always' sounds pretty good."

He shifted, and Misty's eyes glanced down as she watched Ash reached into his pocket. She caught just a glimpse of a velvety box in his hand, but it was enough to make her eyes widen. Her thoughts began racing, the sudden realization of just what was happening coming down on her in those few moments. Teal eyes flickered back up to Ash, her breath getting caught in her throat as he gave her a small smile that confirmed her thoughts.

Then he was standing in front of her, one hand still interlocked with hers as he slid down onto one knee. She let out a small breathy laugh– barely able to believe this was actually happening, the moment feeling almost sudden– but it yet it was perfect. She just stared into Ash's warm brown eyes, his hand tightening around hers, a sweet and nervous smile on his face.

"Misty, I love you," Ash said softly.

They were words she had heard him say many times before, but as he spoke now she felt tears stinging her eyes. Perhaps in any other moment she would have been embarrassed for going to tears so quickly, but right now she didn't care. Because this was actually happening, right now, right in front of her.

"You've been by my side ever since I've met you– and I don't want to imagine a moment where you wouldn't be in my life," He swallowed. "And that's why I wanted to ask you... will you marry me?"

He held up his hand, allowing Misty to properly see the black ring box he had been holding. The velvet container was opened, a slim silvery ring peering up at Misty, a large blue crystal sitting on top. The detail in the ring was exquisite, smaller white gems inlaid into the metal making it shine in the setting sun.

She had imagined this scene before in her mind, and she had considered even asking Ash herself– but in neither of those instances did she imagine herself with teary eyes. But here she was, wiping away the stray tears falling down her face as she heard those precious words.

And just like that the long hike up here became a treasured moment.

"Yes," Misty softly, no hesitation in voice, and a huge grin broke over Ash's face– that goofy, loving smile that she adored so ever so carefully, he slipped the ring onto her finger, the metal cool against her skin.

She didn't give Ash a chance to say anything else to her– pulling him in for a kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Oh, I'm so glad you two could come out today," Delia said cheerfully, pouring out three cups of tea. "I know you two have been terribly busy lately, so when you said you guys were coming I was just so excited."

Ash smiled, accepting the cup from his mother as she pressed it into his hands. "Sorry it's been so long since we've been able to visit– but you know how busy the League can get. I thought becoming a champion was a mess, but a new Elite Four member is even worse!"

Misty rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, Mr. Champion, my position is permanent. I need to do more than be the League's brute force."

"Pikapika!" Pikachu giggled from atop Ash's head, and his trainer offered him a Pecha berry from the fruit bowl on the table. His coppery eyes lit up, and he gobbled the berry down in a single bite.

"Congratulations, by the way," Delia said, smiling at Misty, this being the first time they had seen each other since she had gotten the position.

"Thank you, Ms. Ketchum," she said, smiling in return, and Ash grabbed her hand. "It's been a very different atmosphere than being a gym leader. Still enjoyable though, and Gyarados came very close to beating Lance's Dragonite."

Ash scowled. "You were supposed to battle me... But no, apparently I could 'go easy' on her..."

"Lance is the former champion, he was allowed to battle me for my qualification match," Misty replied.

"Besides, I could see why they wouldn't see it as fair for you to battle your girlfriend," Delia said with a nod. "Even if you wouldn't go easy on her you still have a bias."

Ash and Misty grinned at each other, but Delia didn't notice. She was setting out some cookies on a tray, before hurrying over to the table and setting them in front of her guests. She then joined them at the table, sitting down herself and pulling the last cup of tea towards her.

"How did you manage to escape the media anyways?" She asked. "I figured their whole focus would be on you. I remember when Ashy became champion he could never seem to catch a break."

"It's quite amazing how eager people are to stay back when a Charizard and a Gyarados are keeping watch," Ash said casually. "Can't imagine why they're so frightened though, their roars only leave your ears ringing for a few minutes."

"And it's a real shame Starmie's Confuse Ray accidently hit the reporter that did get past them though, isn't it?" Misty added. "And then Ash's Charizard just randomly then decided that he wanted to take us on a sudden flight and left a huge Smokescreen behind as he carried us off... and I guess they lost track of us from there."

Delia shook her head. "I swear, you two cause more trouble now than you did as kids," She took a sip of her tea. "When are you two going to settle down anyways? Finally tie the knot?"

There was a teasing tone in Delia's voice, smiling at the two of them– as they usually got flustered when she asked this, which she found adorable– but right now they were both just grinning from ear to ear as she spoke. Delia blinked once, looking between them and the smug-looking Pikachu on Ash's head. The mouse leapt off and onto the table, looking at Delia excitedly.

"Funny you should mention that," Ash said, lifting his and Misty's clasped hands up so they were resting on the table, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. Delia glanced down– a small gasp escaped her mouth when she saw a silvery ring resting on Misty's finger. "Should we tell her the good news, Mist?"

For a moment Delia couldn't speak, brown eyes wide and gleaming. "No way," she whispered, a warm feeling blooming in her heart. "How long–? When did you two–?"

"It's been about a week now since he's asked," Misty said, smiling fondly at Ash.

"We wanted to tell you in person," Ash said. "So we came out as soon as we could. We're not sure when the wedding will be yet... but we're going to be getting married."

"Oh goodness!" Delia cried, leaping to her feet and hurrying around towards the other side of the table. She threw her arms around Ash, pulling his head into her chest. "You're going to get married! My little Ashy is getting married!" She then looked at Misty– before pulling her into a hug as well. "And I'm going to have a daughter! Oh, this is so wonderful! Let me see your ring!"

Misty extended her hand, which Delia held as she took in the silvery ring resting on her finger. There was a light blue gem topping the ring, with several smaller white gems embedded next to it on the band. It was absolutely gorgeous, softly sparkling in the light coming from the window.

"White gold and aquamarine," Misty said.

"The smaller ones are diamonds," Ash chimed in. "I got it custom from Steven Stone– going through anyone else wouldn't have resulted in anything as nice. And who knows if they would have kept quiet."

"It's absolutely beautiful," Delia said fondly, and she couldn't help but touch her own finger, where a golden ring had once sat. "And I see you have one as well, Ash."

Pikachu had hopped onto his trainer's lap, lifting up Ash's left hand to happily display the ring on his finger. She smiled at the mouse, before reaching out and looking at the one Ash had. It appeared to be made of white gold as well, thicker in comparison to Misty's, but not nearly as showy. There was a grove running across the band, where a glassy green stone had been inlaid into the ring.

"It's part of a Thunder Stone," Ash said with a grin. "The crystal outer layer, to be exact. Watch this!"

He held his hand out to Pikachu, who sparked his cheeks. The green stone seemed to absorb the electrical energy, small sparks of lightning dancing within the Thunder Stone of the ring before it fizzled out. Both Pikachu and Ash looked enthralled about this, looking up at Delia with a childish grin.

"I think he's more excited about that than getting married," Misty said, shaking her head.

"Of course I'm not," Ash cried, grabbing her hand. "No have no idea how long I've been waiting for this, Mist," he glanced at Pikachu, who was sparking his cheeks once more. "...Though I won't lie, the ring is awesome."

And with that he held his hand out to Pikachu again, happily watching the sparks bounce through his ring.

"They're going to be both our engagement and wedding rings," Misty said, turning to Delia. "We saw no reason to do anything more."

"I think that's just fine," Delia said, a smile still spread over her face. It seemed to refuse to fade, a happiness pulsing within her. She was sure it was dim compared to Ash and Misty's joy, but the fact that the two were finally going to be married was nothing but wonderful. They had been dating since they were teenagers, and she hoped that they would have many happy years ahead of them. "Does anyone else know that you two are engaged?"

"Nope," Ash said. "We wanted you to be the first."

"Oh Ashy..." she said softly.

"We're probably going to tell my sisters next, if they can keep quiet about it," Misty said. "We want to keep this quiet for now, because if Kanto catches word their champion is getting married... we'll never get a moment of peace."

"We gotta tell Brock though!" Ash said. "If you get to tell your sisters I get to tell my brother."

"Of course we're telling Brock!"

"And I am definitely going to tell all my Pokemon while I'm here in town."

Delia smiled as they chattered on, and she picked up Pikachu, scratching the mouse under his chin. He let out a happy cry, immediately setting down into her arms. It was hard to believe at times that the cuddly little Pokemon was also one of the strongest members of Ash's champion team, but there was few that could rival the power of the electric type in battle, unevolved or not.

"Do you two want to stay the night?" Delia asked. "I hope you guys aren't going to go all the way to Cerulean right now– you'd be flying all night!"

"Starmie can teleport us quite a ways," Misty said. "Though a place to crash for the night would be quite nice. Staying in a Pokemon Center isn't as simple as it used to be."

"Wonderful," Delia said, beaming. "I'll make you two some dinner, I'm sure all this excitement is making you hungry."

"You bet it has!" Ash said– and Misty gave him a playful shove.

"What he means is that we'd be happy to help you make it," she said, pushing herself to her feet.

"Pikapika!" Pikachu chirped happily, still in Delia's arms.

"So..." Delia began, a smirk climbing on her face. "Now that you two are getting married... when am I going to get some grandchildren?"

Misty flushed, while Ash's eyes widened. "M-mom!"

Delia and Pikachu laughed, making their way into the kitchen.

* * *

The Pewter City Hospital was usually a busy place, but a place that Ash felt quite comfortable at. The staff there knew him– not only as their champion– but had actually taken the time to know who he was. The Nurse Joy on the main floor, a sassy woman by the name of Abigail, greeted him with a glare and a grunt. She and Brock could only be described as frenemies, and as Brock's 'brother' he tended to get the same cold treatment.

"Here to see Harrison?" She asked the moment he walked through the door, not even having looked up from the current person she was helping. "Take the staff elevator, we don't need you crowding the halls."

"I just want to know when he'll be on break–" Ash began.

"I don't memorize everyone's schedules, Ketchum," she snapped back, before slipping back into her 'Nurse Joy' persona, smiling as she handed a trainer back their Pokemon. "Here's your Ninorina, sir, she's fighting fit!"

Ash held back a chuckle, loving the baffled look on the young trainer's face– clearly not used to seeing such an attitude from a Nurse Joy. He just nodded, taking back his Pokeball as he headed for the door, seemingly not even noticing that he walked past the champion. Ash glanced around, but there were only a couple of other people in the waiting room of the Pokemon Center.

Pewter City had certainly grown in the last few years, with the discovery of fossils in Mt. Moon tourism had begun booming. There were now two Pokemon Centers here town, one not far from the gym that also offered housing for traveling trainers, and then the one on the main floor of the Pokemon hospital. It was one of the newest hospitals in Kanto, Brock having helped pushed for it to be built, seeing as there were none on the west side of Mt. Moon. He had eventually become a doctor here, able to happily be working in his home town with his dream job.

Abigail lifted up part of the counter, allowing Ash to slip on back. She didn't say anything else to him, knowing that he knew his way around as he headed past the treatment rooms. Most were for basic battle damage, though there were several more specialized ones. Any serious injuries were taken upstairs, in the care of specialized doctors.

Pikachu let out a yawn as they slipped into one of the elevators, heading up. Brock was usually on the third floor, but there was always a chance he could be stationed elsewhere today. Ash shifted uncertainly, even with permission to be back here he still felt awkward, since he technically didn't work here. The doors slid open, and while those he passed did a double take, no one said anything as he went in search of Brock.

It was quiet, which was a good thing. It meant they had no serious cases on their hands, or at least none that weren't in stable condition. That of course could change at any moment, but the less hurt Pokemon was always better– and with the fall of Team Rocket several years before numbers had been at an all time low.

"Ash! It's good to see you!" A voice called from behind him, and he turned to see a female doctor coming towards him, a Slowking following after her. "What brings you here today?"

"Hello Claire," Ash said politely, nodding. "I was just here to visit Brock. Abigail didn't know when his next break was– so do you by chance?"

She smiled. "Just your luck he goes off shift in about ten minutes, if you don't mind waiting. He doesn't have too long of a break though, so don't keep him. You'll find him in the burn unit right now, if you want to hang around until he can talk."

"I'll just wait in the breakroom, I don't want to disturb anything," Ash said curtly– he knew that offer was only extended to him as champion, but he had never felt comfortable taking it. He was not a doctor, and he did not have a Pokemon in treatment here. "If you see him please let him know I'm here."

"Will do."

"Cha~" Pikachu let out another yawn as they headed towards the breakroom, tail swinging lazily. After yesterday's excitement with Delia, there seemed to be nothing catching his attention today. He stretched out on Ash's shoulders, a few sparks coming from his cheeks out of boredom.

There was a small Vulpix waiting in the breakroom, a small pet bed especially for him tucked away into the corner. He perked up the moment the door open, looking towards them in excitement– only for his ears to go back. He let out a grumble upon realizing it wasn't his trainer, turning to face the wall with a huff.

They didn't have to wait long for Brock to show up– the doctor hurrying into the breakroom with his Comfey by his side, causing both Ash and Pikachu to jump. The mouse perked up immediately, darting over to him, only to be knocked away by a blur of red. Vulpix let out a growl as he pulled out of the Quick Attack, before jumping into Brock's arms. He let out a laugh, stroking the Pokemon as Pikachu rubbed his head with a grumble.

"Sorry Pikachu," Brock flashed him an apologetic grin, but they were all familiar with Vulpix's attitude at this point. He was the son of the Vulpix Brock had once cared for, and he had an even bigger ego than his mother had. The only person he liked was Brock, and if he was separated from him for too long he tended to light everything on fire. He also carried a hatred for Pokeballs, meaning tucking him away in one was never an option.

"He's fine," Ash said, pushing himself to his feet, earning a glare from the mouse. "He's deals with Charizard on a daily basis, he can handle Vulpix."

"Chu!" Pikachu said with a huff, crossing his paws. Comfey hovered above Pikachu, releasing a Floral Healing around him.

"So, what's the occasion?" Brock asked with a smile, not even flinching as Vulpix's claws dug into him as he climbed up onto his shoulders. "It's been a while since you've stopped by."

"I just wanted to talk with you," Ash said with a shrug, before turning away. "I, er, just wanted to tell you that me and Misty are no longer dating."

Brock's eyes widened at this, and even Vulpix paused in surprise. Comfey looked up in worry, while Pikachu fought against a grin. For a moment there was silence, Brock not knowing how to respond to this. His mouth opened a few times, as if he were about to say something, worry spreading across his face.

"Oh Ash... what happened? Please don't tell me more stories are being spread about you two. If that's what happened we can–"

Ash turned back to face Brock, holding up his hand to show off his ring, grinning.

Brock stared at it blankly for a moment, before the realization spread across his face. He shot Ash a frustrated look, which was quickly taken over by a growing grin. Brock then threw himself forward, the Pokemon doctor bringing him into a hug, one much more crushing than the hug his mother had given him yesterday, but yet with the same affection.

"You had me scared there for a minute– never do that again!" He said, before somehow managing to hug him tighter. "Oh, I can't believe it! You're getting married! It just seems like yesterday you two were arguing over some stupid bike, and now there's going to be church bells ringing."

"You weren't even there when Pikachu fried her bike," Ash grunted, unable to return Brock's hug with his arms pinned at his sides.

"Yeah, but two you bickered over that for years," he pulled back, and he placed his hands on Ash's shoulders. "You have to tell me _everything._ Where and when did you do it? How? Please tell me you kept it romantic, girls dream of this moment Ash please don't tell me you made it casual–"

"Relax, Brocko," Ash said, holding back a laugh. "I'm sure you would have approved– lake view, right at sunset– I think it was quite perfect."

Brock nodded in approval. "Lakeside, absolutely perfect for Misty. Where is your lovely fiancee anyways?"

"Golduck wanted to let off some steam," he replied. "Besides, it's easier for us not to be seen together too often. Less chance to be recognized, and we don't want anyone knowing of the wedding quite yet," he lowered his voice. "You'll keep quiet, right? You can't tell anyone, okay?"

"Don't worry, I got your back," Brock said, slapping him on the back. "Still can't believe that _you're _getting married before me though... when did Mr. Oblivious get replaced by you, lover boy?"

Brock grinned, and Ash smirked. "I'm sure you'll be married in no time."

"I'm practically an old man."

"You're twenty-five."

"Oh, to be young again..."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up, Brock, don't act so hopeless. Besides, aren't things going well between you and Lillie?"

Though subtle, a blush instantly formed on Brock's face as he spoke. He looked away from Ash, suddenly becoming quite interested in the ceiling. "There's nothing really between us, we've only been on a couple of dates, that's all..."

"So? You both seem really interested in each other, I'd say that's going well."

"B-but she's only going to be here for one more month!" Brock protested. "She going to be heading back to Alola soon and I... I just don't know. What if she doesn't want to take it a step further since she'll be leaving? I'm sure a girl doesn't want a long distance relationship. Besides, she's–"

"She decided to extend her internship after your guys' first date," Ash said, crossing his arms. "And I wouldn't be surprised if she extended it again once this month is up. You two are practically going steady and you're telling me that's nothing's official?"

"I don't know if I should ask her to be my g-girlfriend!" Brock stuttered out. "Like I said, she could be leaving soon and–"

He was cut off by the breakroom door opening, a young woman entering with a Clefairy by her side and a Snivy on her shoulder. Ash instantly tucked his hand with his ring out of sight, while Brock turned to face the blonde woman, and instantly he went redder. She seemed surprised to see them there, but smiled nevertheless.

"Hey Lillie!" Ash said with a wave.

Lillie was no longer the young girl Ash had met in Alola, but now a young woman that carried herself with a confidence that she hadn't had when she was younger. Pikachu had been excited upon seeing Brock, but that paled the moment he saw Lillie. A huge smile spread across the mouse's face, ears and tail flicking up, and with an excited cry he bolted towards her. In the same moment her Snivy hopped off of her shoulder, racing towards Pikachu with an excited chirr.

"Hello Ash," she said warmly. "Hi Brock!"

"Hi Lil," Brock said softly.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, bringing the Snivy into a hug. After a moment he pulled back, looking over the grass type carefully with a frown.

"Snivy sni!" The Snivy chittered back, coppery eyes gleaming. He pointed up to Lillie happily, then towards the door. Pikachu frowned, stepping forward and licking his paw. Snivy's eyes widened, but Pikachu had already grabbed his snout and began wiping away a speck from his scales. "Vee!"

"Pika," Pikachu said after a moment, satisfied that the Snivy was now presentable. "Pikachu pika, pikachu pikapika."

Snivy rolled his eyes. "Snivy."

"Now Pierre, be nice to your dad," Lillie told the Snivy firmly, who shot a glare up at his trainer, crossing his arms. "How has Misty been? I haven't seen her in ages!"

"Mist's been great," Ash said, a small gleam in his eyes. "We're going to be in Cerulean for the next few days if you want to drop by, I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"That would be fun," Lillie said. "I don't have any hours this weekend, so I should be able to."

"You should come too, Brocko," Ash said. "We could all go on a double date," he smirked slightly. "I mean, no reason to leave out your boyfriend, right Lillie?"

He enjoyed the way both of them become flustered at the word 'boyfriend', Pikachu snickered, still fussing over Pierre. The Snivy let out an annoyed cry, and the Alolan woman reached down to scoop him up, her face slowly turning pink.

"Yes," she said in a slightly quieter voice, her blush turning red.

"Wonderful!" Ash said, fighting against a smirk. "I should get going, but I'll see you two soon! Bye Lillie, bye Brock– treat your _girlfriend_ well!"

He so desperately wanted to look back to see the looks on their faces, but he forced himself to keep looking forward as he headed out of the breakroom, Pikachu bolting after him.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, jumping into Ash's shoulder.

"Yeah, we'll tell Lillie this weekend," Ash replied. "I just don't want to tell more people than necessary when we can be overheard. Now, to find where Misty's wandered off to."

"Pikachu-pi!" Pikachu agreed happily, climbing into Ash's head, looking about intently as they headed outside.

They wandered through the streets of Pewter for a bit, Ash lingering on the edges of the road, and fortunately no one paid him too much notice. Too much in a hurry or with other things on their mind to recognize him– or perhaps they were actually respecting his privacy. They made their way to the edge of the city, knowing that Misty shouldn't be far.

"Pikachu-pi!" Pikachu cried again after they wandered for a bit, eagerly tapping Ash's head. He glanced up, a smile flickering over the man's face as he saw a glimpse of orange hair up ahead. "Pikachu-pi!"

Pikachu leapt off of Ash's head and bolted down the street, weaving between people as he raced towards Misty. She was standing near a small cafe on her phone, her Golduck standing near her, and looked up when she heard Pikachu's cries. The mouse leapt into her arms, happily nuzzling her and Misty's phone fell out of her hands. Golduck's eyes flashed blue, catching the device with his psychic powers as Ash made his way towards them.

"There you are," Misty said, Pikachu slinking up onto her shoulder. "I was just about to call you. How was Brock?"

"Good," Ash replied, grabbing the floating phone out of the air and handing it back to Misty. "Not too busy today so we talked for a bit. Also we're going to have a double date this weekend with him and his girlfriend."

"So he and Lillie finally are official?"

"...Seems like it," Ash said, fighting a small grin. "We're off to see your sisters now, right?"

"Daisy and Lily, yes. Violet lives in Celadon now," Misty replied, and Pikachu nuzzled her cheek. "Yes, I missed you too. Ash wasn't too much trouble while I was gone, right?"

"Pikapika!" Pikachu replied, leaping back to Ash's shoulder.

"Hey– is that Ash Ketchum?" A young voice said from one of the tables at the cafe, causing Ash and Misty to stiffen up. But once the words were said there wasn't much they could do, the attention quickly turning towards them.

"It's Misty Waterflower too!"

"I saw your battle against Lance on TV, it was so awesome!"

"Golduck, use Flash," Misty ordered quietly, pulling out his Pokeball. The red gem on Golduck gleamed for a moment– before a burst of bright white light flared out from around him, momentarily blinding anyone that might have been looking in their direction.

Misty then recalled him, while Ash grabbed her hand. They had both closed their eyes before the Flash had taken place– and were now running down the street before the forming crowd could recover. Pikachu was laughing as they ran, holding onto Ash's shoulder tightly as he gave a shrill whistle.

It was only moments later that there was a swooshing of wings from above, a monstrous orange shape bolting down from the sky. The Charizard dipped low, landing for only a second to allow his trainer to vault up and onto his back. He then unfurled his wings, rushing back up into the air, grabbing Misty with his front claws. Within seconds they were rising above the buildings, racing up into the sky.

"I know how to get onto your back," Misty grumbled as Charizard pressed her close to his form, allowing Ash to reach down and pull her up onto the creature's back. He glanced back at them, his single blue eye gleaming as he grinned. Misty huffed, before getting settled in front of Ash, leaning back against his chest. "And you're going the wrong way."

"We're off to Cerulean," Ash told Charizard, who only then banked around, gliding off towards Mt. Moon.

"He's as stubborn as you are," Misty said, enjoying the wind of the flight as it blew past them.

"Yes, and you're totally not stubborn at all," Ash said, pressing a kiss against the top of her head.

"You better believe that, Ketchum."

Ash simply laughed, pulling Misty closer as they flew off towards Cerulean City.

* * *

**I love RokonShipping (BrockXLillie) so much. I know it is a bit of a random pairing, as they've barely had any interaction in the anime, but I love them together. To be clear I only ship these two as adults– Lillie is 20 in this fic, while Brock is 25. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

It took approximately two seconds for Misty's sisters to notice her ring.

Lily, Daisy, and Tracey all warmly greeted them as they arrived at the Cerulean Gym, which was closed to challengers for the day for the miniature family reunion. The sisters all happily embraced each other, while Tracey nodded at Ash warmly. Pikachu raced off to greet the gym Pokemon, and Misty reached for her Pokeballs to let her Pokemon out when a high pitched scream filled the gym.

"No way!" Lily cried, seizing Misty's hand. "It is! That's a ring, she actually has a ring Daisy! A pretty one as well!"

Daisy pounced forward, hands on Misty's shoulders. "Is that ring what I think it is?"

Misty gave her older sister a smile. "It's my engagement ring, yes."

"That is like, totally amazing," Lily said, eyeing the ring closely. "The gems look genuine, which is like, good!" She turned her gaze towards Ash. "You couldn't have waited a couple more months before asking, though?"

Daisy pushed her aside. "Don't you dare ruin this moment for Mist!" She pulled her youngest sister into a hug. "Congratulations girl!"

"You're just glad that you won the bet," Lily grumbled, before giving a smile as well. "But like, congrats– I get to be a bridesmaid, right?"

"Bet?" Ash asked, glancing at Tracey.

"On which Sensational Sister would be married next," Tracey replied. "Daisy betted on you and Misty, and Lily on Violet and Erika."

"Violet betrayed us," Daisy said. "She has a _Bellossom_ now. And apparently she wants a Leafeon too. We might need to get her a Lotad before she strays too far off the path."

"I don't see why you are all so opposed to grass types now," Misty said casually. "I mean, if you just take a look at our names..."

"We are the _Water_flower sisters!" Daisy said firmly. "Flowers are okay, but we are water type trainers!"

"I'm going to be a Ketchum soon, and you're a Sketchit," Misty said, pulling out her Pokeballs as she began to release her Pokemon into the gym. "Who knows what Violet will be– at this rate Lily might be the only Waterflower left."

Golduck, Azumarill, Starmie, and Politoed all came out in a burst of red light, while Kingdra and Gyarados were released into the pool. The others in the gym all quickly rushed to join them– Misty's second Starmie, Corsola, Seaking, and Luvdisc rushing to see their teammates. Soon the gym was filled with the sounds of Pokemon reuniting– two Dewgongs calling out, a Lanturn, a Vaporeon, Cloyster, Gorebyss, Slowking, and many more– the sisters having built up quite a collection of water types over the years.

"When's the wedding?" Daisy asked, ushering Misty into the main living area.

"What are your colors going to be?" Lily latched herself onto her younger sister's arm. "What about your dress, oh, you have to let me pick everything out."

Tracey and Ash were left in the main section of the gym, and the two males looked at each other.

"It's nice to see them getting along so well," Ash said with a smile. When he had first met the Waterflower sisters there had been a clear divide between the oldest three and Misty, but over the years that gap had been mended.

"Do you want some advice from a man that's already married into this family?" Tracey offered.

"Sure," Ash said, scratching Pikachu behind the ear.

"When it comes to wedding planning, the girls get the final say."

* * *

Their double date with Brock and Lillie ended up turning into a quadruple date plus Lily. Ash had been able to throw his title around to get them some good reservations and a private place to dine (though it hadn't remained quiet with their large group). It hadn't taken Violet, Erika, and Lillie long to catch on to the ring on Misty's finger, and the poor boys hadn't been prepared for the sheer excitement that could come from such a large group of females.

Ash, Brock, and Tracey remained in their own little corner as the six girls launched themselves into speculative plans about the wedding. The wedding colors were of course going to be blue, and of course they were all going to be bridesmaids, and a list was already forming of who else could be bridesmaids, and no the wedding wasn't going to be small, it was going to be an outdoor wedding, sooner the better but not too soon–

"Brock," Ash whispered. "Help."

"You knew it wasn't going to be small," Brock replied. "You're the champion, bud– there's no such thing as a private wedding then. Aren't you required to invite all the other Leagues or something?"

"All champions in the League Alliance at the very least," Ash muttered. "That's six other champions, which will attract like every press source there is. I can't really keep it small at all though, there's just so many people I need to invite. My Pokemon, Mom, Professor Oak, Dad and Burnet, May and Max, Gary, Dawn, Bonnie and Clemont, Serena, Alain and Mairin, Professor Sycamore, the rest of the Elite Four, probably all the gym leaders in the Indigo League..." Ash's face twisted in thought. "Of course we have the biggest League in the Alliance, and honestly that's just scratching the surface. I'll need to write all of this down."

"Remember, you don't have to invite everyone," Tracey said. "I know you can't keep it small, but let's be honest you've met a ton of people."

"Misty's right, an outdoor wedding is a must," Ash muttered. "Nebby can't exactly fit in a church or anything. Hmm... do you think N would be willing to come, he doesn't really like people. And what about Mewtwo and his mate? Will they even want to show up with that many people?" His eyes widened. "Jessie and James! Can they come back to Kanto yet? Are they still wanted, we can't exclude them, and their kid–"

"You pardoned them, didn't you?" Tracey asked.

"Yeah, but they said they don't want to come back to Kanto, they're happy in Unova–"

Brock laughed. "Ash, you're overthinking this. I'm sure they'll be happy to come to your wedding, relax. How about we focus more on the core aspects– it looks like the girls are working on the aesthetics. We'll need a location, well, maybe leave that to Misty... security! You'll need security for sure, I'm sure there'll be plenty of unwelcome guests trying to sneak in."

"Perhaps I'll talk to Lance," Ash said, leaning back in his seat. "He knows how to deal with being a champion."

"How many people do you want to know about the engagement?" Tracey asked.

"The rest of the Elite Four for sure," Ash said. "But for now I think who knows is enough. I'm sure Misty will want to announce this to the world on her own terms, not rumors or someone spilling our secret."

"She's counting on her sisters to keep a secret?" Brock said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure they will," Ash said, taking a sip of his drink. "And if not it's Misty's wrath they're risking."

* * *

What was supposed to be a fun date had turned into nothing but stress from Ash. They had walked away from the lunch with their first layout of their plans for a wedding, and for once he was starting to feel very overwhelmed. Battling for the champion title? He could handle that. Taking on Team Rocket? Didn't hesitate. Saving the world? Just another Tuesday. Planning a wedding though? Ash was now feeling the need to run.

Ash hadn't realized just how many people he knew. He had started writing out the beginnings of a guest list and it was so long– and that wasn't even counting what Misty's additions would be! Add on the fact that the media would be all over this, that he would have to reach out to multiple champions and their schedules, still keep on top of all of his champion duties during all this...

"What do you think the chances are we could hold our wedding at Lake Mizu?" Misty asked, her hand wound in his as they went through Indigo Plateau. It was a place they spent a good amount of time at as members of the League, with offices and meeting halls available that weren't used as nearly as often as they were intended. "It is a bit isolated, but it isn't too far out there."

Ash let a smile tug as his face. "I think that would be nice. And honestly I don't mind 'isolated', it might discourage those who aren't invited."

"But what if it discourages those who are?" Misty said in worry. "I wouldn't want anyone to make an unnecessary trek and–"

"It's not like we're thinking of having it on Mt. Silver," he cut her off with a grin, jerking his head off towards the towering mountain in the distance. "Lake Mizu is just a bit of a drive, but the roads are well maintained and people are going to have to travel anyways. If you feel unsure about it though we can look into other places too. You're pretty set on it being held at a lake?"

"Pika!" Pikachu called, as if trying to say 'Of course!', and Misty giggled. She picked up the mouse in her arms, cradling him like a baby as she scratched him under the chin. Ash couldn't help but wonder if in a few years she would be actually holding a baby...

"You two know me too well," she replied, before letting Pikachu scurry up onto her shoulder. "It doesn't have to be a lake– any natural body of water will work for me, though Lake Mizu is definitely up there. A beach wedding would be so pretty though– could you imagine being married somewhere like Alola?"

"Any natural body of water?" Ash asked, a grin tugging on his face. "In that case... how about right there?"

He pointed towards a small puddle of water on the road ahead of them, and Misty shot him a glare. He laughed, and his reward was a playful punch to the shoulder. As they approached the puddle he let his arm snake around Misty's waist, pulling her into his arms and then into a dip. Pikachu let out a yelp, having to jump to the ground at the swift movements.

"See?" Ash asked. "Wouldn't this be perfect? Plenty of sidewalks for everyone to stand on, and we could recite our vows..."

"I will set Golduck on you."

"Serperior could use some battle practice."

"I won't–"

"Are you two lovebirds going to stand there all day?" A deep voice asked off to their right, and they both jumped. Both of Ash's arms wrapped around Misty to keep her from falling, and he pulled her out of the dip. "Or are you going to actually come to the meeting you called for, Champion?"

"Koga!" It took Ash a moment to locate the poison type master– who was hanging upside down from a tree just off of the path. His apparel was dark brown, as if he had been planning on hanging out in trees. "How long have you been there?"

A faint hint of a smile crossed over his face. "Planning a wedding, so I hear?"

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping," Misty snapped, crossing her arms.

He tilted his head. "How was I eavesdropping? We are in a public place, and you're talking on a street for everyone to hear."

"We thought we were alone! And lurking in a grove of trees isn't the same as walking down the streets you creep!"

A burst of light appeared next to Misty, Golduck releasing himself at the sound of his trainer's angry shouts. The water type's eyes quickly locked on the ninja hanging from the tree. His eyes began to glow blue, and Koga quickly tapped a Pokeball of his own– releasing a pure black Greninja with startling speed. Webbed hands began pulsing with churning dark energy as it took faithfully in front of its trainer, ready to disrupt any psychic blast sent its way.

Golduck rolled his eyes, and began to form an Ice Beam instead. The blast of freezing energy was released from his beak, engulfing Pokemon and trainer. Misty happily stroked Golduck with a smug look on her face, and the duck replied by returning himself to his Pokeball. Ash's eyes slid over to Koga, and while his Greninja had taken the brunt of the attack he had still been knocked from the tree, and his clothes were covered in frost. Despite that he had managed to land calmly on his feet, returning his Greninja in favor of his Weezing, who had summoned Will-O-Wisps to dance about Koga to help warm him up.

Koga then bowed as if he hadn't just been attacked. "Congratulations on the engagement."

Then he leapt up into the trees, leaping from branch to branch as he darted away, his Weezing drifting after him. Misty let out a huff, crossing her arms.

"Greninja isn't even a poison type..." she muttered under her breath.

"Well with the Protean ability it can technically become one–"

"Shut up, Ash! Water type is my element, and he stole it!"

"Maybe I should add my Greninja to my main team... kidding, kidding," he said when he saw her glare, and he held up his hands in surrender. "Does this mean I have to take Feraligatr off of my team?"

"Just a fair reminder that Totodile was almost mine."

"Pika..." Pikachu shook his head, smiling as he followed after the two humans as they went towards the building Koga had run off to. With no upcoming events being held at the plateau there were very few tourists, and those staffed there knew better than to hound their champion. Still friendly waves were thrown their way as they made their way across the Indigo Plateau, heading towards the meeting hall– a name that Ash didn't really think was fitting at all.

There was one thing many league officials liked, and that was aesthetics. Whether it be Lance and his cape or Misty with all things water– they committed to it. Ash was never really big on the whole thing, he just wanted to have a good battle, but he didn't have much say when it came to what came before him.

The 'meeting hall' felt like something from out of ancient Kalos or a similar region– a beautiful building with a dome-shaped roof and a mosaic tiled floor. Walking inside was like stepping into the past, holding the majesty and grace of a palace. The main room was circular, mirroring the dome ceiling above, the center of the floor concave with steps, and across from the pillared entrance were five seats that might as well be thrones, a long marble table in front of each one. It was cool, sure, but it all just felt so out of place for Ash.

Lance, Bruno, and Koga were already at their seats as they entered, still playfully bickering away. Ash's eyes turned up towards the three Elite Four members, and despite his time as champion, he still wasn't used to the fact that he was their superior. He had grown up with Lance as champion, Bruno had been an Elite Four as long as he could remember, and though fairly new to the position Koga was just so much older that it was still weird to Ash.

"Hello, Champion," Lance said, nodding as Ash and Misty made their way to their seats. Fortunately Misty had Agatha's old place, meaning that she was near Ash. Golduck burst out of his Pokeball as they drew near, strolling over to the dark corner behind Misty, looking quite content despite the shadows that draped over him. Where the shadows came from Ash didn't know, probably a lasting effect from the many years Agatha's Gengar had stood there.

Lance's main Dragonite sat behind him, and Bruno's Machamp behind him. It took a moment to locate Koga's prized shiny Greninja– who was up on the ceiling above him. He was the most recent addition to the poison type trainer's team, but had quickly become a favorite. Ash selected a Pokeball at random as he sat down at the head of the room, Pikachu curling up on his desk.

Lycanroc burst out of his Pokeball, stretching out with a loud yawn as he sat down in the space behind Ash meant for his Pokemon. The titles had deep claw marks from the many years Lance's Dragonite had sat there, and the Lycanroc looked almost out of place as he sat there panting– more like a playful pet than a champion's Pokemon. Of course anyone that had seen the rock type in battle knew that he was more than capable of handling himself in a fight.

"Okay," Ash said with a smile that was partly forced– couldn't they just meet in a regular building at a regular table? Was the dramatics really that important? "I'm glad everyone was able to make it today."

"If you hadn't called for a meeting I would have myself," Lance replied. "It seems we all have something to talk about."

"Speak for yourself," Koga said.

"Do you want to go first then?" Ash asked, leaning back in his seat. Official league business first, and announcements could come later. He glanced at Misty to make sure she was okay with this, and she gave him a short nod.

"Very well," Lance said. "Bruno and I have decided that it is time for us to retire."

Ash stiffened up, Misty sat up in surprise, while Koga merely raised an eyebrow. Ash turned his gaze towards Bruno, who smiled a fond but bittersweet smile. His Machamp let out a rumble, muscles rippling as he moved to stand next to his trainer. Lance's Dragonite merely flicked his tail, not reacting as everyone's eyes turned towards his trainer.

"Leaving me with the kids, huh?" Koga said, a small smile pursing his lips.

"W-wait, both of you?" Ash's eyes flickered between them. "At the same time?"

"Honestly, I was done with all this around the time Agatha was," Bruno said with a shrug. "We figured it wouldn't be fair for all of us to bail at the same time and leave you with a completely inexperienced Elite Four. But you've been champion for some time now, and have handled it very well. With the promising introduction of Misty you know for yourself the process of introducing a new member, and Koga will be here to help keep things moving smoothly."

"You say that like they can't handle themselves," Koga said with a chuckle.

"It's good for a champion to be working with an Elite Four that they help chose," Lance said.

Ash and Misty shared a glance, neither knowing how to react to this. Not that it was a challenge they weren't willing to rise up against... but with their own personal lives about to take a very busy turn this wasn't exactly welcoming news. Especially when said wedding would involve the league, and they had no idea of where to even begin. The process with selecting Misty had been far from smooth, and they were to be bringing in two more members...

"Though I am stepping down, I am still allowed to suggest a name for my replacement," Lance pushed a folder of papers forward. "I choose my cousin, Clair Wataru, the current gym leader of Blackthorn City. Like me she is a dragon type specialist, and which would not conflict with any current typings of the Elite Four."

"My choice remains the same as when Agatha stepped down," Bruno said. "William Itsuki of Olivine City–"

"No!" Misty snarled.

"–He is a psychic specialist," Bruno continued, a bit louder. "Which would not conflict with any current typings of the Elite Four."

"Will is a jerk!" Misty snarled.

"He had his reasons to be concerned," Bruno replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, so Agatha recommends me and it's okay for people to say that Ash is choosing favorites– but Lance can suggest his cousin and no one blinks?"

"Lance has held his title for many years–"

"Fine then," Misty growled. "My choice then is Sabrina Natsume of Saffron City, psychic specialist."

Bruno regarded her for a moment, before closing his eyes. "That will provide a type conflict with one of the other candidates, meaning only one of the two may be selected, if at all," he narrowed his gaze at her. "Selecting a new Elite Four should not be out of pettiness, Waterflower."

She shrugged. "If that's what you think, then fine. I honestly do think Sabrina has what it takes, she just also happens to conveniently be a psychic trainer and will provide perfect competition to a certain jerk."

"Very well then," Lance said, cutting the two off before more arguing could break out. "Ash, Koga, do you have any names you would like to submit for consideration, or would you like to take some time to think it over?"

"I have a few in mind that I'll need to shift through."

Ash gave a small smile. "I'll need some time too."

Lance tilted his head. "Are you alright, Champion?"

"Overwhelmed," he replied honestly. "But I'm excited to take on these future challenges."

"It will be no different than when Agatha stepped down, if anything, it will be easier– going through the process once with both of us retiring instead of going through it twice."

"Well, new Elite Fours aren't the only thing on our plate," Ash said, scratching at the back of his head. "Me and Misty have a little announcement of our own, which is why we called the meeting."

"We're engaged," Misty said coolly– still evidently upset at the mention of Will.

Lance and Bruno seemed slightly surprised at this announcement, before offering their congratulations in a very formal manner– especially compared to the warm reception they had gotten from their friends and families so far. Koga just smiled softly, having already known.

The dragon master considered this. "Perhaps it would be best to keep word of our retirement on the quiet side for now. Be there as we look over the potential replacements. And also provide some insight to handle the upcoming wedding– I'm assuming that's why you told us in the first place?"

"Heh, yeah," Ash said, giving an uncertain chuckle.

"Weddings of League members are no small occasion," Lance said. "Even if you want a private ceremony, it is expected that you at the very least hold a public reception. And by public I of course don't mean just anyone– your Elite Four and gym leaders are expected to be there, alongside the other champions in the League Alliance, and preferably some kind of photographer or reporter to provide information to the public, or else you will be getting unwanted coverage of the event. You probably will anyways."

"I know, I've been doing some research–"

"You'll want to reach out to the other champions right away," Lance said. "It is very possible that some might not be able to make it, but not giving them a decent time frame so they can at least attempt to clear their schedule is considered rude. As you might of remembered with Champion Iris' wedding they handled it less that professionally, and I hope that you plan on–"

Ash's voice fell to a growl. "That's my friends' wedding you're talking about."

"I am aware. I am just acknowledging that they didn't go about it as expected."

"And that was their own personal choice," Ash replied, voice just short of a snap. "I think they had received enough bad press at the time, so I don't blame them for what they did."

The two stared at each other for a moment, the tension in the air palpable, and considering how the two normally got along it was unsettling. Pikachu's cheeks were sparking, and after a moment Lance sighed, backing down.

"I'm sorry, and I didn't mean to cause offense," he relented. "I meant to point out that their wedding wasn't standard for a champion, not to imply that it was wrong. Seeing as you came to us I just assumed that you wanted to follow the standard."

"We do," he glanced at Misty. "For now, anyways. We honestly just don't know where to start."

"We knew we were going to have a big wedding anyways," Misty said. "Might as well invite everyone that needs to be invited."

"Do you have a date in mind at all?" Lance asked. "A location? Any foundations of a plan?"

"We're– well, I'm– thinking Lake Mizu, late summer," Misty said. "If we could even reserve it for such a large event."

Bruno snorted. "That won't be a problem, trust me."

"That gives you a few months to prepare," Koga noted. "A bit short, but still plenty of time for you guys to work with. If you want my advice– don't put anything off. Start planning right away, and stick to it."

"You will need to reach out to Cynthia Shirona of Sinnoh," Lance said. "Steven Stone of Hoenn–"

"I'm familiar with who the champions are–"

"–Olympia Gojika of Kalos, Leon Dande of Galar, Iris Dent of Unova, and Hau Cihi of Alola," he finished, ignoring the interruption. "Select a date before informing them, and make sure it does not conflict with any tournament, holiday, or meeting any champions of any regions may be expected to attend. Be prepared to change it as needed, but I am sure they will be flexible as well. It is considered rude not to attend a fellow champion's wedding. Once you reach this point then we can begin on reservations, catering, and security. I will send you some contacts of people who can help you."

"Thank you," Ash said, nodding. "Steven already knows of the wedding, I actually bought the rings from him. Iris and Hau should be fairly easy to get a hold of, they're good friends."

"A wedding is no small matter."

"We're aware," Misty cut off. "Is there anything else we need to discuss? Any other lectures or jerks we want to bring to the team?"

Lance frowned at her. "There is nothing."

"Very well then, we're dismissed," she said, standing up. "Let's go, me and Ash have plenty to worry about anyways."

With that she made her way out of the meeting hall, Golduck right behind her. Ash frowned, pushing himself to his feet, not pausing to say goodbye like he usually would as he hurried after his fiancee. Pikachu and Lycanroc were right behind him, the former bolting ahead to catch up with Misty. He threw himself onto her shoulder as they stepped outside, nuzzling her cheek in worry. She came to a stop, hands curled into fists, and Ash placed his hands on her shoulder.

"Mist, what's wrong?"

"Why did he have to suggest Will?" She muttered. "He knows I don't like him, why would he suggest for him to work with us?"

"Because Will is a strong trainer," he said easily. "And you know how they are, tradition and all. Strong trainers make good Elites."

"No, good people that happen to be strong trainers make good Elites," she growled. "Not some jerk that enjoys fanning the flames of rumors, purposely stirs up trouble– do they really want someone like that to help run the League?"

He turned her around, hands still on her shoulders, and there were tears in Misty's eyes. "Hey. I know that wasn't easy for any of us, but to be fair Will didn't start those rumors. He just..."

"Believed them," she snarled bitterly. "Believed I would actually cheat on you. Act like you were just giving me a free pass into the Elite Four when I worked so hard to earn it–!"

"Misty, look at me," Ash said as she turned away, eyes flashing, and her gaze returned to him. "There are people out there that will look for anything to throw dirt on people. If they can't understand the concept of you having lunch with a friend, that's their own fault. Think about it this way– he was probably sure he didn't stand a chance against you to become an Elite Four so that he went the underhanded route– and you still came out on top."

A slight smirk crossed Misty's face. "It was fun to crush him in battle."

"And it was a delight to watch it," Ash said. "Let's not worry about Will or future Elite Fours or anything right now. The best day of our life is coming up and no one gets to ruin it. Let's get a date picked out, shall we?"

"You handle the other champions and I get Lake Mizu reserved?"

"Sounds like a plan," Ash said, grinning.


End file.
